Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 22 (1907)

Ms 145, 1907

A Call to Service

St. Helena, California

June 20, 1907

This manuscript is published in entirety in AUCR 10/14/1907.

To the lay members in every church

Dear Brethren and Sisters:

After His resurrection from the dead, Jesus “appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat,” and said unto them, “Go ye into all he world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following.” [Mark 16:14-20.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 1

Matthew’s record of the great commission is: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:18-20.] There is no limit to the missionary work to be done in fulfilling this commission, and yet because of a lack of faith on the part of God’s people, the work has often come almost to a standstill. The lack of any record of work accomplished in some lands testifies to the fact that many of those who have claimed to believe the truth have not revealed their faith by their works. If God’s people had possessed the true missionary spirit, the lands lying in darkness would ere this have been enlightened by their self-sacrificing labors. Our publications would have been multiplied, and this literature circulated, and the message of truth would have gone forth with no uncertain sound. This message which God bids us carry to all parts of the world is His last message of mercy to a perishing race. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 2

The prayer that David offered for a preparation of heart in order to do acceptable service for God should be the prayer of every believer today. He said: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, Thou God, of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of Thy righteousness. O Lord, open Thou my lips; and my mouth shall show forth Thy praise. For Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise. ... Then shalt Thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering, and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon Thine altar.” [Psalm 51:10-17, 19.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 3

There are many large cities still unworked. In every church in our land, believers should engage in earnest seasons of prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, that they may be directed to the best places to plant the seeds of truth. I have been shown that angels of heaven are waiting for the co-operation of human instrumentalities in the work of bringing this precious truth before the notice of the world. Will not our churches arouse and seek the Lord in their homes, and then take up whatever line of work they see needs to be done? The Lord Jesus knows the needs of His children, and He will qualify them to do the work He appoints to them to do. His professing people need to study the Word, study how they can best introduce the truth in places where it has not yet been carried. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 4

God’s Word plainly declared that He has given to every man his work. Each should study carefully and prayerfully to know what that work is. All heaven is interested in the work of saving souls, and angels of God will go before every worker who will take up the work of giving the knowledge of His Word to the world. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 5

Christ is to be our example in all things. The record we have of His labors for men is to teach us our duty toward our fellow beings. Of His labors for those outside His own city, we read: “And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the seacoast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 6

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 7

“And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed Him.” [Matthew 4:13-20.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 8

Christ gave to these disciples the education they needed for their work of ministry. The Jewish schools were no place for them to learn of Christ. Taking them directly from their fishing boats, the Master united them with Him in His work. When the great Teacher addressed the multitudes, the disciples were close beside Him, learning the lessons that He taught to the crowds. Then after the public effort was made, the Saviour took them aside with Him and explained more definitely the nature of the truths He was seeking to impart. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 9

A similar work will be done for us in the giving of the last message to the world. Angels of God will go with us, Christ will be our chief Teacher, and right ways will be opened before us. Never are we to lose sight of our commission, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” [Matthew 28:19, 20.] In order to follow this divine instruction, there needs to be thorough consecration to God. The heart of the worker must seek wisdom from God; he must make God his dependence and improve every advantage given him. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 10

How thankful we should be for the encouragement that is given us to bring all our perplexities and difficulties to One who is abundantly able to remove them; to seek counsel of One who is mighty in counsel. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” [James 1:5-8.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 11

God calls upon His people now to consecrate all their powers to His service. He would have every household become a home-church. When those who profess to believe His truth become truly converted, they will have words to speak to all; and their zeal for His cause will make them Christlike in purpose and action. True zeal is always tempered with meekness and lowliness of heart. The work of God has no need of the manifestation of an overbearing and dictatorial spirit. He has placed no man in the position to dictate the course of a fellow worker. None are to place themselves under the guidance of human beings; for God has not ordained this. He bids us look to One and depend upon One who understands our needs and is able to supply them from His abundant fulness. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 12

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and He is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth His work, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him.” [1 John 2:1-5.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 13

“Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God! Therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure. ... Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He is righteous.” [1 John 3:1-3, 7.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 14

As laborers together with God, we should never neglect the precious privilege of prayer. The promise is given us, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” [Matthew 7:7, 8.] Let us present our petitions for grace and counsel, and plead that light be given us, that we may understand the Word. Let us pray for wisdom, that we may know how to communicate that Word for the encouragement of others. Let us often study the seventeenth chapter of John, wherein is recorded the wonderful prayer of Christ to His heavenly Father. Here we can learn how to pray, and to bring ourselves into right relation to God. The signs that foretell the second coming of Christ are fast fulfilling. Shall the people be left in ignorance of the great event before them and have to meet that awful day unprepared? God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would receive Him might not perish, but have everlasting life. Heaven has made a complete offering for the salvation of the world. Shall those who profess to love God and keep His commandments be indifferent to the souls of men? No, no; they cannot be. 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 15

With untiring zeal, those who have received the light of present truth should go forth to give this light to those who sit in darkness. With consecrated efforts, by self-denial and self-sacrifice, they are to labor in the strength of the God of Israel. This message is to be carried to foreign lands; it is to be given to the cities and towns of our own country. The weary and the heavy-laden are longing for the message of truth that will give them rest and peace in Christ. Who will carry the message to those who have never heard it? Who will seek the joy and glory of God by drawing sinners to the feet of Him who gave His life a sacrifice for every soul? Who will lift up the Saviour before men as “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”? [John 1:29.] 22LtMs, Ms 145, 1907, par. 16